Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 16:17:09 -0400
From: ScorSagian
Subject: Boy-Band/ Decisions (Part 13)
Disclaimer: This story contains homosexual themes. If you are under the
age of 18 or if reading this story is illegal to read where you are
residing, please read no further. While the people in this story are real,
the events are purely fictional. This is not meant to imply anything about
the sexuality of the people portrayed in this story.
If you have any feedback, either positive or negative, you may contact me at
Dannibailey@hotmail.com
"Decisions"
by D.B.
Chapter 13
In the morning, Justin had decided to make one more run before leaving and you
had opted to stay in the lodge near the fire and try to finish up on an
equipment order that Johnny would need next week. As you sat by the fire, you
found it hard to concentrate on your work. The week had been near perfect and
neither of you were looking forward to leaving. As your mind wandered,
recalling the events of the last week, you were unaware that Rick had called
your name until he reached over and tapped your shoulder. It startled you, and
Rick quickly apologized.
"Sorry, Gary, but you need to come with me" he informed you. "There's been an
accident on the mountain. I don't know how serious it is, but I know Justin has
been hurt. The ski patrol has called for the Life Flight helicopter."
You stopped dead in your tracks. When Rick had said accident you had assumed a
broken bone at the worst. Something this serious had never entered your mind.
Rick tried to ease your fears. "Gary, I know what your thinking and don't. The
hospital is about an hour's drive away. They use the helicopter many times as
a precaution. Just wait until they get him off the mountain. We'll know more
then."
The helicopter pad was located behind the lodge and Rick informed the waiting
paramedics that you were a friend of Justin's and asked for an update.
"We really don't have much information right now" the paramedic explained. "The
ski patrol is trying to stabilize him on a back board so they can bring him down
the mountain. He was unconscious when they got to him, but he's awake now. The
only information they have given us is that it's a head injury. We won't know
how serious until we see him."
Several minutes later the ski patrol could be seen in the distance. It seemed
like an eternity before they reached the pad, but you tried hard to understand
the need for the slow pace. If the head injury was serious, they were only
doing what was best for Justin. As they neared the pad, the paramedics rushed
to meet them. Justin was motionless and your heart sank. You tried to understand
their conversation, but it was like you were in another world. You could hear
their voices, but none of it was making any sense. Everything was moving so
fast and yet you felt like you were responding in slow motion. Finally, a
paramedic took you to one side.
"Hey, you OK?" he asked.
"Yeah, I think so" you managed to say. "I'm just worried about him."
"I take it your name is Gary" he said in a comforting voice. "He was asking for
you. We've got to get him to the hospital right now, but you can meet us
there."
"What's wrong with him?" you asked him in a shaky voice. "They told me he was
conscious."
"He was," the paramedic informed you , "but they had to sedate him before they
brought him down. Let's just say he wasn't being very cooperative."
Immediately you knew something was wrong. Justin was stubborn, but
uncooperative was not a common trait for him. You pressed the paramedic for
details, but got none.
"He's stable, so try to relax. Can someone drive you to the hospital?"
"I'll take him," Rick said immediately.
"Good, then let me take your friend and we'll see you at the hospital in about
an hour. Just let the emergency room crew know when you arrive and we should
have an update for you by then."
You and Rick left immediately and you were so grateful that you didn't have to
make this drive alone. He attempted to put you at ease, but the picture of
Justin on the stretcher filled your mind.
Upon your arrival you contacted the emergency room staff as you had been
instructed and a young nurse showed you to the waiting room and help get you
settled.
"The doctors are still working on him, but they should be out to speak to you in
a few minutes" she said calmly. "Try to make yourself comfortable. There is a
coke machine down the hall and the cafeteria is open until 9:00. The phone is
in here for your use free of charge. I should warn you, the press has picked up
on this. They know he's here and will be expecting a statement from someone.
As it stands right now, the hospital will not give out any information on his
condition, but someone will have to. They are not going to go away until they
hear something. We have them on another floor to ensure Justin's privacy, but
you may want to think about talking with them."
You were floored. How did they get information so fast? Obviously, someone at
the hospital had recognized his name. You would deal with them later.
"If you would, please let them know I'll make a statement later. I don't have
anything to tell them right now and I'm gonna need some time to see how I want
to handle this. I'm not really prepared for this."
She smiled realizing the position you were in. "Of course, I'll let them know.
Take all the time you need. Trust me, they're not going anywhere."
As she turned to leave, one of the emergency room doctors entered the room. He
held out his hand for you to shake. "You must be Gary," he said with a firm
handshake. "My name is Dr. Martinez. I've been overseeing Justin's care since
he arrived. How about if I fill you in on his condition and then you can go
back and see him for a few minutes."
You exhaled deeply realizing that if you were being allowed to see him, then
things were not as serious you had feared.
"Let me start by saying his overall condition is fine. He has a concussion, and
some pretty good bumps and bruises, but nothing life threatening. He's lucky in
that regard. He does have a medical condition that is cause for some concern,
but I feel it is strictly temporary. Any time there is a head injury like that
there is bound to be some swelling internally and in his case it is no
different. However, the swelling in his case is on the optic nerve and its
causing some visual impairment."
You hated doctors when they spoke in a language other than plain English.
Frustrated you asked him "What exactly do you mean when you say "visual
impairment?"
"What I'm trying to say is that for the moment he is unable to see. He's blind.
That's why they sedated him on the mountain. When he realized his condition he
became irrational. They needed to calm him down to prevent further injury."
Dr. Martinez continued and you tried had to concentrate on his words, but it was
becoming increasingly difficult.
"Let me remind you that I feel certain this is only temporary. He is on
medication now to reduce the swelling and I would expect positive results in the
next 24 hours. If you would like, you can go back and see him now. I think
having a friend with him will help relieve some of his anxiety."
They led you back to his room and you entered in the dim lights. He was
sleeping and you didn't want to wake him, so you pulled up a chair and sat next
to the bed. You reached over and took his hand in yours and stared at his
motionless body. His face was bruised and a large bandage covered the right
side of his forehead. The constant beeping of the monitor made you feel uneasy,
as did the IV piercing the back of his hand. Hospitals and you never made for a
good mix. He stirred slightly and felt your hand.
"Gary?" he whispered. His voice was weak and you could tell by his speech that
he was indeed heavily sedated.
"Yeah J, it's me" you said softly "How you feeling?"
"I'm scared Gary. Really scared"
You leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I know you are, and I don't blame
you, but the doctors are convinced its temporary."
"And what if it's not?" he demanded.
"Justin, you're gonna be fine" you assured him "But you need to get your rest.
Try to go back to sleep."
"Promise you won't leave?" he asked.
"I've got to make a few phone calls, but that's it."
You purposely neglected to mention the room full of press that was waiting one
floor below. "I'll only be gone for a few minutes."
"Can you wait until after I go to sleep?" You could hear the fear in his voice.
"Sure, no problem." You sat back down and ran your fingers across his cheeks.
Within minutes he had drifted back to sleep.
You headed down the hall dreading the next few minutes. Although you were
totally unprepared to deal with a room of media representatives, you would
gladly do it if you didn't have to make the one phone call you dreaded. Lynn
Harless.
You made your way down the hall to the waiting room and as you sat on the sofa
your mind was reeling. You were trying desperately to come up with a logical
plan for moving forward. The young nurse who had spoken to you earlier entered
the waiting room and joined you on the sofa.
"I know you're worried about him" she said in a soft voice, "but he's in good
hands. Dr. Martinez is one of the best we have."
"Thanks, I appreciate that" you replied. "I've just got a million things
running through my mind right now and it's so hard to focus."
"Anything I can do to help?" she asked.
You looked at your watch. It was almost 2:30. "Yes, there is something you can
do. If you don't mind, tell the press that I'll make a statement at 3:00. That
will give me some time to make a couple of calls and kinda gather my thoughts."
"Not a problem," she said, "I'll take care of it."
She left the room and you picked up the phone. As you dialed the Harless number,
your thoughts turned to Lynn, as the news of Justin's injuries was bound to
upset her. She answered on the second ring.
"Hello"
You took a deep breath before you spoke. "Lynn, it's Gary."
"Gary, it's so good to hear from you," she said in an excited voice. "Do you
know that son of mine has not called all week?"
Your nerves would not let engage in small talk. The sooner you told her the
better you'd feel.
"Lynn, there's been an accident. He's gonna be Ok, but it was serious enough
that he's been hospitalized." You waited for a response, but heard nothing but
silence.
"Lynn, are you OK?" you asked with concern.
Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Yes Gary, I'm Ok. Please tell me the truth.
How's Justin? Do I need to fly out there?"
"No Lynn, I don't think so. I'll talk to the doctors in a bit and find out how
long they plan on keeping him. I'll call you back when I know more and fill you
in. All we know right now is that there was an accident on the slopes. He's
got another concussion and banged up pretty good, but nothing is broken. They
just moved him into a room and he's sleeping."
You had put the news off long enough. You had to tell her.
"Lynn, because of the head injury there's some swelling that has effected his
vision. He's on medication and the doctor's feel its strictly temporary, but
right now he can't see."
She said nothing, but you could hear her sobbing softly.
"He's gonna be fine. You have to believe that."
"Thank you, Gary" she said sounding a bit relieved. "You'll call me when you
know more?"
"Of course I will," you assured her "but I need to go now. I need to call
Johnny and Mark. I think Justin would be more comfortable if Mark were here.
Then there's a room full of press that are waiting for me to make a statement.
Let me get back to you in a couple of hours."
"Gary, be careful with the press." she warned.
"I will. I'm calling Johnny right now and asking him how he would like me to
handle it. I'll talk to you soon."
You made two quick calls to Johnny and Mark, then stopped by Justin's room to
check on him before heading downstairs. You were thankful he was sleeping
peacefully and never stirred when you kissed his bruised forehead.
Johnny's advice had been simple. Don't provide any information that they don't
ask for, keep you answers short and keep your cool. He had made it sound easy,
but you knew better.
As you entered the small room that was set up for the press, lights blinded you.
Several reporters had video cameras, while the others were armed with still
cameras and flash attachments. You had never felt so vulnerable in your life
and the butterflies in your stomach had taken over. You took a deep breath as
you stepped to the podium, and the room fell silent.
"Hello, my name is Gary Martin" you informed them. "I'm an employee of Wright
Entertainment Group. I know you are interested in Justin's condition so I will
make a brief statement then answer a few questions."
Before you could go any further a reporter interrupted you. "Excuse me, but
before you start could we get a spelling of your last name?"
You were already uneasy, and the reporter's question only made matters worse.
Hell, how many ways were there to spell Martin. You had all agreed that the
less the press knew about you the better, but if you were representing WEG then
they had a right to know.
"M A R T I N " you said slowly. The reporter thanked you politely and you
continued.
"As most of you already know, Justin was injured in a skiing accident earlier
today. His condition is stable and he's been moved to a private room. He
suffered a concussion and some cuts and bruises."
You paused briefly. "I'll try to answer a couple of questions if you have any."
Reporter: How long is he expected to be hospitalized?
"We're not really sure at this point. The tour physician is flying out. He'll
be the one to make that decision."
Reporter: Have the other members of *NSYNC been notified?
"Mr. Wright was going to contact them after he and I spoke earlier, so I'm
assuming by now they know."
Reporter: "What about Britney? Has anyone notified her?"
"No comment. Next Question"
Reporter: We've heard from hospital staff that his injury has caused blindness.
Can you confirm that?
So much for not leaking his condition to the press. You were furious.
"Justin has a temporary visual impairment." That was it, you'd had enough and
didn't like the direction the questions were heading in.
"I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse me. I'm not taking any more questions. Thank
you for your concern."
With cameras and microphones shoved into your face, you made you way into the
elevator. Fortunately, hospital security prevented them from entering and you
leaned back against the elevator wall, closing your eyes in the comfort that the
press conference was behind you.
As you passed the nurses station a matronly nurse stopped you.
"Excuse me," she asked "Were you going to Mr. Timberlake's room?"
"Yes, I am" you replied.
"I'm sorry, then you will have to have a seat in the waiting room. Mr.
Timberlake already has a visitor. His brother is with him."
"His brother?" you questioned. Then it hit you. You rushed to Justin's room
throwing the door open as you entered. At the foot of Justin's bed was a
photographer. Before he could explain, you grabbed him and threw him against
the back wall, pinning him so that he couldn't move.
You were outraged. "You've got ten seconds to give me your driver's license and
the film out of that camera before I break it into a million pieces."
"I didn't take a picture. I swear!" he said trying to defend his actions.
"You're wasting your time, and I'm not a very patient man" you informed him.
The commotion had brought several nurses to Justin's room and hospital security
had been called. Justin woke, unaware of what was going on.
"Gary, is that you?" he asked in a voice filled with trepidation.
"Yes it's me Justin," you assured him. "I'll be right there. Just give me a
minute."
You looked directly at the photographer. "You're out of time."
"Here" he said angrily as he handed you his drivers license and the exposed roll
of film taken from his camera.
You held out your hand. "Now give me the camera" you demanded.
"Wait a minute! You said if I gave you the ID and the film that I could keep
the camera."
You yanked the camera out of his hand and threw it to the ground. "I lied!" You
glanced at the hospital security that had yet to intervene.
"Can you escort this gentleman to the front door please?" you asked
sarcastically.
Reluctantly, the photographer left, picking up his broken camera. Justin was
becoming increasingly upset and you asked the nurses who had rushed in during
the confrontation to leave the two of you alone for a few minutes.
"Gary, tell me what's going on? It's scaring the hell out of me! I just want to
go home!" As he spoke he began to pull at the surgical tape hold the IV in
place in the back of his hand.
"Hang on Justin!" you said as you grabbed his hand. "Mark will be here in a
bit, but until then you're gonna have to sit tight. And don't mess with the IV.
It stays in."
As you spoke, the door to Justin's room opened slowly and you expected another
unwelcomed invasion. Instead, you were pleasantly surprised, not to mention
relieved.
"So, how's my favorite patient?" the visitor asked.
Justin's face lit up. "Mark, I'm so glad you're here. Can I go home? Please."
Mark sat on the edge of the bed and took Justin's hand in his.
"Well, that's the plan" Mark assured him, "but I need to look at a couple of
things first. They're pulling your test results for me now and I'd like to
check you over before I make that decision."
"Mark, I want to go home," Justin argued.
Mark's voice turned serious. "I understand that, but we're gonna do what is
best for you, and that may mean staying here another day. We're just gonna have
to wait and see."
Justin laid his head back on his pillow and turned his head away from Mark,
obviously disappointed.
As Mark examined Justin you took the opportunity to finish some rather
unpleasant business. As you approached the nurses' station, you noticed the
same matronly nurse that has spoken to you earlier.
"Excuse me," you said politely. "Who's in charge here?"
"I am," she said in an irritated tone. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes there is," you said already annoyed at her attitude. "I'd like to know how
hell the photographer got into his room?"
"Contrary to what you may think, Mr. Timberlake is just another patient. We are
not in the habit of checking the IDs of people visiting our patients."
Your patience with her had run out.
"Listen, how many of your other patients have a room full of reporters waiting
to hear an update on their condition? Like it or not, he is not just another
patient and he has every right to be protected from some maniac entering his
room and taking pictures of him while he's sleeping. Maybe you should consider
another line of work. Like a mortician. You certainly have the personality for
it!"
You headed back to Justin's room before you could fully enjoy the look of shock
on her face, but she wasn't worth your time. You were anxious to hear what Mark
had decided.
When you entered the room, Justin was sitting on the edge of his bed buttoning
the last of the buttons on his shirt and Mark was on the phone making
arrangements for his release. You sat next to him, putting your arm around him.
"You need any help?" you offered.
"No, I think I got it Gary, but thanks"
"Truthfully, how are you?" you asked.
"I have a really bad headache, but when Mark shined the light in my eyes, I
could tell he was doing it. He said that was a good sign."
"Great!" You turned his head toward you and kissed him gently. "See, I told
you. Everything is going to be fine."
Justin wasn't convinced. "Gary, the new CD comes out in four days and we are
supposed to appear on TRL. What are we gonna do if I'm not better? It's the
biggest day of our careers."
You had already thought of this and you knew everyone else associated with
*NSYNC had too. Justin had to be better by Tuesday.
"You've got to quit thinking like that" you reminded him. "Just do what Mark
says. Exactly what Mark says. No arguing."
By now, Mark was off the phone and had overheard your conversation.
"Gary's right, Justin. There is no room for discussion on this matter. I just
got off the phone with Johnny and he's backing me 100%. If you want any shot at
performing on TRL on Tuesday, you better follow my instructions to the letter.
Got it?"
Mark obviously had Justin's attention.
"Mark, I'll do whatever you say," he said sincerely. "Tuesday means so much to
me."
"I know it does Justin," he said sympathetically, "so here's the plan."
"We leave here and fly directly to New York. There in no point in flying you
home and then have to fly to New York on Monday. The rest of the guys will meet
us up there. You will be on complete bed rest until Tuesday, and I mean
complete bed rest. You can get up to use the bathroom. That's it. You'll need
to stay on your medication, either by an IV or shots. I'll leave that up to
you. Tuesday morning I'll decide what activities you can take part in."
"What about TRL?" Justin asked sadly.
"Johnny and I have discussed that. I realize that's the most important event of
the day so we are gonna focus on getting you ready for that one. We have
several options. One, you make and appearance, but don't perform. Two, you
appear and perform This I Promise You since you can sit quietly for that one.
Our third option, which I seriously doubt will happen, is you appear and perform
Bye, Bye, Bye.
As you could have predicted, Justin was not pleased. "Our plan was to perform
Bye, Bye, Bye, that's our first single," he explained.
Mark was not budging. "Plans change Justin, we'll just have to wait and
evaluate your condition on Tuesday."
You could see the disappointment in his face, but he said nothing. In silence,
you helped him finish getting dressed and waited for Mark to make the final
arrangements.
You managed to sneak out of the hospital undetected and Justin laid his head in
your lap as you headed towards the airport.
"How far away is the airport?" Justin asked softly.
"It's about a 20 minute drive" you let him know. "Why?"
"Because my head really hurts" he explained. "I just want to lay down and
sleep."
You looked over at Mark and he knew exactly what you were thinking. Justin must
be in a lot of pain as it was so unlike him to admit that anything bothered him.
You rubbed his back gently, trying to comfort him.
"Hang in there Justin, we'll be on the plane soon."
The ride to the airport seemed to take forever, and although he had only walked
the short distance from the gate agent's booth to his seat, Justin's head
throbbed. Thankfully, the first class seating was empty except for the three of
you and the ride to New York would be a quiet one. You and Mark got him settled
in, but Justin's discomfort was more than he could handle. He rested his head
on the pillow trying not to move, but tears of pain streamed down his face.
Before the plane had even taken off, Mark prepared in injection of Demerol to
help take the edge away from Justin's obvious discomfort. He winced slightly as
the needle stuck him, but said nothing. You sat next to him, holding his hand
until he drifted off to sleep. Looking at him sleeping, you could not imagine
him being ready for an interview on Tuesday, much less a performance. For his
sake, you hoped you were wrong.
Will Be Continued...